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Match Made in Mobile: Hamrac-Jones Team Making Life Tough on Modifieds of Mayhem Rivals

By Chuck Corder

For Donnie Hamrac and David Jones, a final destination ended up as their starting point.

The two Mobile-area drivers had been friendly acquaintances at short tracks across the southeast for a number of years.

But when the producers of the 2009 major motion picture “Final Destination� filmed key action sequences at Mobile International Speedway, Hamrac and Jones laid a foundation for a formidable partnership that endures today.

“I knew him somewhat, but the movie really brought us together,� the 43-year-old Hamrac said. “He had his car there — one or two of ’em. David, his dad ‘Pops’ and me all hung out with each other and got to talking.�

What they talked about was Hamrac driving Jones’ Alabama Pipe and Supply Modified. The plans finally came to fruition two years later, and in 2012, Hamrac captured the first of back-to-back Modified track championships at Five Flags Speedway.

Hamrac and Jones’ biggest accomplishments together came the past two Decembers at the famed half-mile asphalt oval. The Semmes, Ala., native is the reigning two-time champion of the Modifieds Snowball Derby.

The near-unbeatable duo at Five Flags returns to Pensacola as Hamrac holds a slim lead in the points chase for the newly-created Modifieds of Mayhem series, which debuts Friday on Marty White Appreciation Night.

“We hope to get back to Victory Lane over there,� Hamrac said. “We hope to get back to Victory Lane, period. Hopefully, our setup for Pensacola works this go-round. If not, we’ll have to start doing some testing to get our advantage back.�

In addition to honoring White — the former Sportsman driver and longtime local radio personality who retires later this month from NASH 102.7 FM — the track will host its annual children bicycle races, along with Super Stocks, Sportsman and Bombers features.

The gates open at 4 p.m. Friday with qualifying tabled for 6:45 and pre-race festivities set for approximately 7:55.

Admission for adults is $15; $12 for seniors, military and students; $5 for children ages 6 to 11; free for kids under 6.

Through four races in the Modifieds of Mayhem’s first season, Hamrac has finished no worse than fourth.

There has been one race in Mobile and three features staged in Montgomery, the site of Hamrac’s lone victory of the year. The fledgling series will also compete at South Alabama Speedway in Opp, in addition to running at Five Flags.

With Billy Melvin’s win last Saturday night in Montgomery, the young series boasts four different feature winners in as many races.

“We’ve got several drivers that can win any night,� Hamrac said.

Which means Hamrac and Jones have to stay on their toes to keep ahead of the competition.

“When you’re winning, it’s hard to change,� Hamrac admitted. “But everybody has done caught and passed us at Montgomery. Hopefully, they haven't passed us in Pensacola, too. We will find out Friday.�

Hamrac knows his No. 8 well. He has driven a Modified for close to a decade. After many seasons of near misses, especially in Pensacola, Hamrac has been a staple in Victory Lane in recent years.

The Mobile Gas appliance installation serviceman credits his teamwork with Jones for his string of successes. Hamrac also credited his other sponsors — Universal Precast (another of Jones’ many ventures), Charlie Phillips Fabrication and Mark Jones with Precision Auto Glass — for his achievements.

“(Jones) loves racing and once he asked me to drive for him,� Hamrac said, “we’ve done well ever since.�

Despite fields that seemingly get tougher by the week, the pair remains confident they haven’t reached their final destination.

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